Third Trimester

Week 30: Attend childbirth classes. The sessions should end by week 36. You'll also want to call your health insurance company and alert them to your due date. Find out any requirements they may have about adding a baby to your policy.

Week 32: Have your baby shower about two months before your due date so you'll have time to shop for items you didn't receive as gifts. Register for your shower if you haven't already done so.

Week 33: Interview baby nurses or postpartum doulas; locate a lactation specialist in case you need one later. Organize a support system of friends/family to help out when you're home with your new baby.

Week 37: Pack your bag for the hospital (don't forget your phone book). A baby is considered at term three weeks before your due date, so be prepared. Your doctor will want to see you every two weeks starting at weeks 36 and 37, then every week starting at week 38. At 36 or 37 weeks, your doctor will order a culture for Group B strep, an infection that can affect the baby. (If you do have Group B strep, you will likely be treated with antibiotics during labor.)

Week 38: If you plan to breastfeed, read up on techniques and gather resources to have at your fingertips when you come home. Join a local La Leche League group to meet the leader and other moms; you don't want to be a stranger if you need to call them for help. Buy nursing pads and bras.

Week 39: Many women begin maternity leave weeks before their due date. If you plan to work up until the end, post an "If I go into labor tonight" memo at work. If you'll be returning to work and plan to breastfeed, find or create a suitable place to pump.

Week 40: Relish these last days of feeling that little being moving and grooving inside your body. You won't believe how much you'll miss it.